Leidos CEO Speaks Out on Border Policies

Another federal contractor has spoken out against the practice of separating migrant children from their parents at the border.

“The practice of separating accompanied minors from their parents is wrong," said Roger Krone, the chairman and chief executive of Leidos Holdings (LDOS), on Twitter. "Our elected leaders must work together to find solutions to immigration challenges while at the same time preserving the values that make our nation great."

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Leidos, a Fortune 500 information technology, engineering and science company has Department of Homeland Security contracts and a market capitalization of $8.8 billion. It used to be known as SAIC, but in 2013 spun off a business that kept the SAIC name while rebranding itself as Leidos.

Its CEO's criticism came on Wednesday, a day after Microsoft (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadellaposted a letter calling the border policy "cruel and abusive" and stating that the company’s work for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not relate to separating children from families. Microsoft employees had protested the company’s involvement with the immigration agency.

On Wednesday, President Trumpchanged course and instructed his administration to try to detain families together. An existing legal settlement limits the government's ability to detain children, raising the possibility of a legal challenge. Questions also remained about the future of the families already separated.

Leaders of major companies, particularly in tech but also in other sectors, have publicly condemned the government’s separation of children and parents at the border.

Leidos has contracts with the Department of Homeland Security to provide cyber security and data analytics and, in the area of border security, screening of cargo, baggage, and vehicles, company spokesman Jason Kello said in an email. It provides inspection technology for points of entry across the U.S., including the southern border, he said.

The company does not believe any of its work for the government is connected to the separation or housing of children apart from their parents.

"Leidos does not provide any services or technologies we are aware of that support these actions," Kello said.

Shares of Leidos were down about 0.70% this morning. The stock closed down 1.93 percent on Wednesday, at $58.35 a share.

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Leidos CEO Speaks Out on Border Policies

Another federal contractor has spoken out against the practice of separating migrant children from their parents at the border.

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